After the All-Star Game practice (where we swear we saw Gregg Popovich almost try to do some real coaching at one point) came the usual round of media interviews. East and West mingled together, with LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony sitting right next to each other.

This may be the first time ever there was a bigger crowd around the guy next to LeBron than the man himself.

Anthony is clearly weary of questions about his future, and somebody asked Anthony, with LeBron listing in, why he didn’t do what James did last season and refuse to discuss his future in interviews.

“It’s totally different,” James jumped in and started answering for ‘Melo. “One thing about my situation, I was able to hide a little bit because it was the offseason when it got heavy. He’s still traveling every day, he’s still playing games, he’s still got to put on a uniform and represent the Denver Nuggets the right way.”

So Melo’s situation is worse?

“Yes, because he has to see (the media) every day,” James said. “I didn’t have to see you guys in the offseason.”